Long Beach, New YorkOctober 1958

On October 31, 1958, two people in Long Beach, New York saw unusual objects in the evening sky. The first object was round and yellow, appearing almost directly overhead. The second was triangular and red in color. Both objects were about the size of a pea when viewed from the ground. The sighting lasted only a few seconds, though accounts vary between four and five seconds for the first object and two seconds for the second.

The observers were standing outside their home when they happened to look up and notice the objects. The first object appeared at about eighty degrees above the horizon (fairly high in the sky), slightly to the east. The second object was spotted about fifty-two degrees further east and somewhat lower, at twenty to thirty degrees above the horizon. Both objects moved from north to south, with the second one traveling northeast to southwest. The objects faded from view as they traveled across the sky.

The sighting was investigated as a ground-based visual observation. Air Force officials reviewed the case and noted clear skies at the time. While the brief case file does not provide extensive details about the investigation or its conclusion, the objects were classified as unknown. An attached Science News Letter from September 1958 discusses Mars and an upcoming solar eclipse in October, suggesting the investigators may have considered whether bright celestial objects were responsible, though this connection is not explicitly stated in the available case materials.

The full case file, comprising eight pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.